Generate Video Metadata (Stationary) (Image Analyst Tools)

Summary

Creates a geospatially enabled video file from a pre-recorded video without metadata. The telemetry data is generated using additional information such as horizontal field of view, location, far distance and video start time.

Usage

This tool is designed for archived video files and does not work with live video streams.

The video formats supported as an input to the tool are listed in the following table:


Description	Extension
AOMedia Video 1 File	`.av1`
Audio Video Interleaved	`.avi`
HLS (Adaptive Bitrate (ABR))	`.m3u8`
MOV file	`.mov`
MPEG-2 Transport Stream	`.ts`
MPEG-2 Program Stream	`.ps`
M2TS Transport Stream	`.m2ts`
MPEG File	`.mpg`
MPEG-2 File	`.mpg2`
MPEG-2 File	`.mp2`
MPEG File	`.mpeg`
MPEG-4 Movie	`.mp4`
MPEG-4 File	`.mpg4`
MPEG-Dash	`.mpd`
VLC (mpeg2)	`.mpeg2`
VLC Media File (mpeg4)	`.mpeg4`
VLC Media File (vob)	`.vob`
Windows Media Video File	`.wmv`

To compute and display the relative corner points of the video image footprint as a frame outline on the map, you need the essential metadata information listed below and further detailed in the parameter description. When the metadata is complete and accurate, the tool will calculate the video frame corners, and the size, shape, and position of the video frame outline that can then be displayed on a map.
- Timestamp
- Sensor Location
- Sensor Relative Elevation Angle (tilt)
- Relative Azimuth Angle
- Horizontal Field of View
- Vertical Field of View
This is the minimum metadata required to compute the transform between video and map, display the video footprint on the map, and enable other functionality such as digitizing and marking on the video and the map.
The performance of the resulting multiplexed video file depends on the type and quality of the input tool information.
- If the only data available for tool parameters are Start Time and Sensor Location the location will be displayed on the map, but there will be no footprints. Some functionality, such as digitizing features and measuring distance in the video, will not be supported.

Label	Explanation	Data type
Input Video File	The input video file for which metadata will be generated and converted to a geospatial video file. The following file types are supported: `.av1,` `.avi`, `.h264`, `.h265`, `.mkv`, `.mov`, `.mp2`, `.mp4`, `.mpeg`, `.mpeg2`, `.mpeg4`, `.mpg`, `.mpg2`, `.mpg4`, `.ps`, `.ts`, `.vob`, and `.wmv`.	File
Output Video File	The name of the output video file (`.ts`), including the file extension.	File
Sensor Location	The point feature that identifies the geographic position of the sensor.	Feature Layer
Start Time	The timestamp associated with the first frame of the video. The timestamp will be used to align video frames with temporal and spatial data.	Date
Output Metadata File (Optional)	The name of the output metadata file (`.csv`), including the file extension.	File
Tilt (Optional)	The vertical angle, in degrees, between the sensor pointing direction and the horizontal plane. Positive values indicate upward tilt; negative values indicate downward tilt.	Double
Relative Azimuth (Optional)	The horizontal angle of the sensor measured clockwise from true north.	Double
Horizontal Field of View (Optional)	The total horizontal angular extent of the sensor’s view, measured in degrees.	Double
Vertical Field of View (Optional)	The total vertical angular extent of the sensor’s view, measured in degrees.	Double
Far Distance (Optional)	The maximum range from the sensor to the far limit of the field of view.	Linear Unit

GenerateVideoMetadataStationary(in_video_file, out_video_file, sensor_location, start_time, {out_metadata_file}, {tilt}, {azimuth}, {horizontal_fov}, {vertical_fov}, {far_distance})

Name	Explanation	Data type
in_video_file	The input video file for which metadata will be generated and converted to a geospatial video file. The following file types are supported: `.av1,` `.avi`, `.h264`, `.h265`, `.mkv`, `.mov`, `.mp2`, `.mp4`, `.mpeg`, `.mpeg2`, `.mpeg4`, `.mpg`, `.mpg2`, `.mpg4`, `.ps`, `.ts`, `.vob`, and `.wmv`.	File
out_video_file	The name of the output video file (`.ts`), including the file extension.	File
sensor_location	The point feature that identifies the geographic position of the sensor.	Feature Layer
start_time	The timestamp associated with the first frame of the video. The timestamp will be used to align video frames with temporal and spatial data.	Date
out_metadata_file (Optional)	The name of the output metadata file (`.csv`), including the file extension.	File
tilt (Optional)	The vertical angle, in degrees, between the sensor pointing direction and the horizontal plane. Positive values indicate upward tilt; negative values indicate downward tilt.	Double
azimuth (Optional)	The horizontal angle of the sensor measured clockwise from true north.	Double
horizontal_fov (Optional)	The total horizontal angular extent of the sensor’s view, measured in degrees.	Double
vertical_fov (Optional)	The total vertical angular extent of the sensor’s view, measured in degrees.	Double
far_distance (Optional)	The maximum range from the sensor to the far limit of the field of view.	Linear Unit

Code sample

GenerateVideoMetadataStationary example 1 (Python window)

This example creates a video file with geospatial information for a stationary sensor.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = "C:/iapyexamples/data"

arcpy.ia.GenerateVideoMetadataStationary(r"C:\\test\\camera_vid.MP4", 
                                         r"C:\\test\\video_export.ts",
                                         r"Generate Video Metadata (Stationary) Sensor Location (Points)",
                                         r"12/30/2025 1:48:58 PM", r"C:\\test\\metadata_export.csv",
                                         -10, 270, 45, 45, "250 Meters")

GenerateVideoMetadataStationary example 2 (stand-alone script)

This example creates a video file with geospatial information for a stationary sensor.

# Name: GenerateVideoMetadata_sample2.py
# Description: Creates a geospatially enabled video file from a 
#              pre-recorded video without metadata. The telemetry 
#              data is generated using user input information 
#              such as horizontal field of view, location, far 
#              distance and video start time.
# Requirements: Image Analyst extension

# Import system modules
import arcpy

# Set local variables
in_video_file = "C:\\test\\camera_vid.MP4"
out_video_file = "C:\\test\\video_export.ts"
sensor_location = "Generate Video Metadata (Stationary) Sensor Location (Points)"
start_time = "12/30/2025 1:48:58 PM"
out_metadata_file = "C:\\test\\metadata_export.csv"
tilt = -10
azimuth = 270
horizontal_fov = 45
vertical_fov = 45
far_distance = "250 Meters"

# Run Generate Video Metadata
arcpy.ia.GenerateVideoMetadataStationary(in_video_file, out_video_file, sensor_location,
                                         start_time, out_metadata_file, tilt, azimuth, 
                                         horizontal_fov, vertical_fov, far_distance)

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments.

Licensing information